Holy Trinity Episcopal Church · Photo: Jon Roanhaus · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Palouse is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns
Palouse differs from Washington on 16 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Palouse. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Palouse
Cancer and arthritis run high in Palouse
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.9%), vs 7.9% across Washington. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.3%), vs 24.4% across Washington. In all, Palouse runs above Washington on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Palouse keeps up with checkups
It beats Washington on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (74.2% vs 70.7%) and dentist visits (74.3% vs 67%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Palouse adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Washington. 1 in 18 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 10 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Washington figure falls outside Palouse’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
What’s behind Palouse’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palouse is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 96% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 59%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Palouse’s median household income is $88,750; among the 10,111 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$111K), it’s healthier than 87%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Palouse adults…
Palouse runs below WA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Palouse adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6% of Palouse adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Care in and near Palouse
No hospital or community health center in Palouse itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Palouse; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Palouse adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Palouse does better than Washington.
A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Palouse and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palouse | A− | 30.9% | 10% | 10.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Palouse adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Palouse
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Palouse is better than Washington on 13 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Palouse’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Palouse | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.3%12.7–18.1 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.7–15.7 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.2–18.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.9%26.2–35.7 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10%8.5–11.6 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.1%29.7–36.5 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.6%33.3–40.1 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.3%26.3–32.3 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.6–13.4 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.9%9.9–12 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.5–7.3 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.1%5–7.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%2.9–3.9 | 2.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.1%5–7.5 | 9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.6%8.2–13.3 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 15.9%12.8–19.2 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.4–18.4 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.1%23.3–31.2 | 31.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.6%4.3–7.4 | 8.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.2%70.9–77.3 | 70.7% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.3%71.6–76.8 | 67% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.1%85.1–88.8 | 84% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.4%73.3–79.2 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.9%67–74.8 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.1%72.3–83.3 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26%22.9–29.4 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.6%20.1–25.4 | 28% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.5%4.8–6.1 | 10.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.6%5.8–7.5 | 9.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.7%3.3–4.2 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.9%4.5–5.4 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6%5.3–6.7 | 11% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.7%24.7–32.8 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.2%10.2–14.5 | 10.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13%11–15.2 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.6–8.6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.2–4.4 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6–8.4 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.8–3.9 | 3.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Washington figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Palouse
Is Palouse a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palouse is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 87%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Palouse?
CDC estimates 30.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.2% and 35.7%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Palouse?
Gritman Medical Center in Moscow, 13.0 miles in a straight line from Palouse’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Palouse have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–7.4%), against 8.4% across Washington.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Palouse more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Palouse.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Washington figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.